


Duty Without Valor

by kadollan



Category: Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003), Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-12
Updated: 2011-08-12
Packaged: 2017-10-22 13:05:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/238340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kadollan/pseuds/kadollan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Eowyn is angry, Faramir leaps to her defense and Aragorn just stopped by to bring her flowers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Duty Without Valor

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2004, this piece languished on my hard-drive for five years. Many thanks to my betas. To cybermathwitch for losing one argument about contractions and winning another. And to the_disco_fairy for her gentle remonstrations. Apparently my method of taking those little circles from the 3-hole punch, throwing them at my paper, and adding commas wherever they land did not meet with her approval.

“I know what you would say, my lord.”

Aragorn had not but stepped within the confines of Eowyn’s chamber at the Houses of Healing when her words stopped him. He had never heard such anger in her voice, not even during those brief moments when she had spoken of her dissatisfaction with her duties at Edoras and the Hornburg.

Surprised, he answered. “Do you?”

“Do not seek to soften your disdain with pretty words. I know what you would say: that I abandoned my post, my people, seeking glory and valor over duty—over honor.” Eowyn sat rigidly in the room's single chair. The coldness in her voice seemed to pervade her entire being; it was as though the wound dealt her by the ruined King of Angmar had scored upon her heart as well as her body.

Perched awkwardly at the edge of her bed, Faramir began to rise as Aragorn entered the room. What began as an act of obeisance turned quickly to defense. “How can you say that? This lady is valiant, courageous and true. She has slain the Black Captain, a foe that brought my Rangers, time and again, to their knees. How can you think her ill?”

Eowyn placed a hand upon Faramir’s arm. “Peace, friend. I will speak.”

“Lady-” Aragorn began again. “Eowyn. Am I not your friend also? You once granted me the greatest honor, that of trust. Did you not unburden your heart to me? Would I say these things to you?”

“That and more. Do not toy with me! Have you not come here to throw those very words back in my face? ‘What use is duty without valor?’ Didn’t I ask you that? What use is heroism, without honor? Theoden King left his people in my care and I threw that away to prove to myself that I am as good as any man of the Riddermark. Well, the Witch King is gone, and may the Valar see fit to continue his curse, but where then does that leave me? A traitor to my people?”

“My dear friend, Eowyn, no. I do not say these things to you. Rather you say them to yourself. Whether or not your decision to ride to Pellenor was wisdom or folly only you can say. You must wrestle these matters within yourself.” Eowyn’s face, already too pale, whitened. Aragorn wondered whether or not the beautiful lady of Rohan would ever find peace.

Abruptly standing, Eowyn turned to the room’s lone window. Hugging her arms close to her body she turned back to the two men. “I would ask you to leave me now.” Her voice, already brittle, was stretched close to breaking. “Leave me,” she repeated, when both men hesitated.

Finally, after searching Eowyn’s eyes, Aragorn bowed slightly. “As my lady commands.”

Faramir walked over to her side and took her ice cold hand. Bringing it to his lips he murmured, “I will do as you wish.”


End file.
